rear cushion

[76shuvlinoff]

How often, if ever, do you guys change that rear wheel cushion? The bike is a 2012  EG just under 30K miles, I am not a hotrodder.  .

thanks

[guido4198]

What is a "Rear Wheel Cushion"..??

[roadkingdresser]

2010 r-king 40k and I don't baby it. Don't see any wear on it with the last tire change. But for the price and if in doubt, next tire change i'd do it.

[Hossamania]

What is a "Rear Wheel Cushion"..??

The Cush Drive, the rubber isolators in the rear pulley.

How often, if ever, do you guys change that rear wheel cushion? The bike is a 2012  EG just under 30K miles, I am not a hotrodder.  .
thanks

There is a procedure to measure the wear of the rubbers. The question of what is normal service life hasn't really come up here that often, as far as I can remember.
I'm also at about 45,000 miles and haven't changed them, maybe next tire change as well. Maybe not.
I would think age and extreme weather changes would deteriorate the rubber and make it hard, rather than wear out.

[chaos901]

I changed mine at a tire change with about 60K on them.  Likely should have done t a little sooner. 

[Coyote]

I've had a spare in the parts box forever. Sold my 2010 with 90k on it and never felt it needed to be changed. 

[PoorUB]

Sold my 2010 with 60,000 miles with the original. They don't really fail, they get hard and compressed.

[biglew55]

I've not seen a worn one, so my approach is to replace at 5 years/50K miles as preventative maintenance.  They are rubber and under constant load cycles.  They are also currently less than $40.

[cheech]

There is a wear indication procedure outlined in the service manual if I remember right. Don't have mine in front of me to quote it.

[hattitude]

There is a wear indication procedure outlined in the service manual if I remember right. Don't have mine in front of me to quote it.

Service Bulletin #M-1256, dated July 30, 2009, "2008 and Later Touring Models Rear Wheel Compensator Wear Check"

Basically, you measure the total slack in the drive sprocket...

You hang a weighted string from the axle, in front of the sprocket. On the bottom of the sprocket face, behind the string, put a piece of tape. Turn the sprocket one direction until it stops, hold it and put a mark on the tape, with a pen, at the string. Turn the sprocket the other direction until it stops, hold it and again mark the tape with a pen, at the string...

Remove the tape and measure the distance between the two marks. If the measurement exceeds .4" (10.2mm) you need to replace the rubber isolator... That's almost 1/2".. seems like a lot of movement to be considered acceptable.. but who knows.. 

I checked my 2012 bagger at the 20K service for the hell of it... I measured like 3mm.

I tested my 2016 bagger, right after I bought it used with 15K miles, and it was like between 2mm & 3mm...

Now that I have a 124" in my 2016 bagger, I think I will check it again after 10K with the new engine, that will be around 30K miles total...  we'll see how tough it is, since I went to a solid engine sprocket...   

[FSG]

 

[76shuvlinoff]

Thanks all. I will take a close look next tire change.

Thanks for the procedure hattitude 

[jamminhd2000]

Just replaced one in a 2014 Ultra Limited...100k miles...also replaced was belt and sprockets...isolator was worn out beyond spec...belt and rear sprocket showing heavy signs of wear...trans sprocket was very little wear...customer and I both felt he got his money's worth so changed it all and hopefully we will see another 100k. Keep in mind this guy is religous about servicing his bike every 5k since new....jimmy